Dental articulator.



No..a27,sz4. PATPNTPD AUG. 7, 1906.

f P. w. STEPHAN.

DENTAL ARTIGULATOR.

APPLICATION PILPD mm2?. 190s.

@faQ/ieg.-

UNITED sTATEs PATENT oPEIo-E.

No. 827,824.v

To @ZZ whom it may concern:

Beit known that I, FREDERICK W. STEPHAN,

a citizen of the United States, residing at Glu?` cago, in the county ofCook and State of IllinoIs, have invented a certain new and usefulImprovement in Dental Articulators, of whi ch the following is a full,clear, concise, andl eX- act description, reference being had totheaccompanyingdrawings, forming a part of this specification. y

My invention relates to dental articulators.

'It is well ,understood that such devices are employed inthe art ofdentistry for practically-` testing the arrangement of a denture in thejaws. In the usual construction thereof a lower frame is provided, towhichis pivoted an upper frame, and when the device is in use castsr ofthe uppergand lower jawsv are fas,`

tened to said upper and lower frames, respectively. As it is oftendesirable to be able to separate one of the frames from the other inorder to facilitate the work of articulating the teeth, it is among theobjects of this invention to provide a construction which permits theframes or sections of the articulator f to be readily detached from orconnected with one another.

Another objectof my invention is the proy duction of an articulatorwhich is simple in construction, neat In appearance, efficient anddurable in use, and cheap to manufac-y ture.

In the accomplishment of these ends I construct the preferred embodimentof my invention as shown in the accompanying drawings and hereinafterparticularly described.

In said drawings the several viewsfare as follows: Figure 1 is aperspective view of the preferred embodiment of my invention, the castsof the jaws fastened to the frames being indicated in dotted linesj.Fig. 2 is a sideL elevation of my device with the upper frame thrownback. per and lower frames of my device disconnected.

Throughout the accompanying drawings like reference characters designatesimilar and corresponding parts. f

In constructing the preferred embodiment of my invention I provide alower frame l, which has a base portion 2, having openings 3 forfastening the cast of the lower jaw in position and upright pieces e atthe rear thereof, which are preferablyy integrally connected at theirupper end by a cross-bar 5 and prolvided withlnotchesgor recesses 6.

S'pecivcation of Letters Patent.

= Application filed Augustr27. 1903. Serial llou 170,961.

Fig. 3 is a side view of the up` j Patented Aug. 7. moe.

For supporting the cast of the upper jaw is provided an upper frame 7,preferably having openings 8 like the lower frame for fastening saidvcast in position.- From the rear of said frame extends pivot-pins 9,which rest in the notches 6 and pivot the upper frame to the lowerframe. pintles are retained in their respective notches or "bearings bya` preferably fiat spring 10, fastened centrally to the cross-piece 5 ofthe lower frame and having its ends'detachably bearing upon the upperframe. As the ends Thesepins or-v of said spring yieldingly press uponsaid upi per frame the pivot-pins may be moved,

backward and forward in their respective recesses or notches, and thusmovements-ofthe casts relatively to one another may be effectedcorresponding to the backward, forward, and lateral movements .of i thejaw. The pivot-pins preferably extend some distance beyond the uprightpiecesA of the lower frame to afford bearings for the fingers of theoperator, so that he may produce ,the differ1n ent movements of thecasts with facility. As the spring 10 detachably bears upon the u-pperframe, the pivot-pins 9 may be vreadily lifted from their respectivenotches to disconnect the lower frame from the4 upper frame. v. Y f

As before stated, the upper-frame may be turned upon its pivot, so as toseparate the jaws, as shown in Fig. 2 of the drawings. To always insurethe proper relation of the frames when the same are in their normalpositions, as shown in Fig. 1, a lug or stop 11 is fastened to the upperframe and engaged by the lower end of ascrew 12, threaded in saidcross-piece. The positions ofy said frames withrespect to one anotherwhen thel s ame are in the normal position may be adjusted by turningthe screw. `So that said screw may not be accidentally turned after thesame has .once been set a lock-nut 13 is threaded thereon, which isprovided with finger-pieces 14 for facilitating the turning thereof. Thefinger-pieces enable the nut to b e set without the aid of a tool orimplement, and therefore the adjustment of the frames may be morereadily effected in this device than in those other tool for turning theset-nut.

It will be readily appreciated that I have `provided a constructionwhich is extremely simple and at the same time permits all the necessarymovements of the casts of the 1 jawsl'relativelytoone another and thatthe TOO vwhere it is necessary to employ a wrench or IIO device may beoperated with ease. very advantageous to have the frame capable of beingreadily separated, as in this device, as it is often desirable to removeone of the casts i'romfthe other to work upon the same independently.

In some forms of my invention it may be advantageous to provide thenotches in the upper frame and fasten the pivot-pins upon the lowerJrame, and therefore it is intended the claims in this speciiication'cover such a construction.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secureby Letters Patent, is-I 1. In a dental articulator, the combination witha lower frame for supporting a cast of the lower jaw, of a frame Jforsupporting a cast of the upper jaw, pivot-pins carried by one of saidframes and arranged to bear in notches formed in the other frame topivotally support one of said frames upon the other and having a lateralmovement in said notches to permit of a lateral movement of one of saidframes with respect to the other, and a spring centrally secured to oneof said Jframes and yieldingly pressing said pivotpins into said notchesand movably retaining the same therein.

2. In a dental articulator, the combinar tion with a lower frame forsupporting a cast of the lower jaw and having upright pieces providedwith notches or recesses and connected at their upper ends by across-piece, of an upper Jframe for supporting a cast of the upper jawand provided with pivot-pins arranged in said notches or recesses andhavingL a lateral movement therein, a spring fastened to saidcross-piece and detachably bearing upon said upper` frame near saidpivot-pins and yieldingly pressing said pins into said res cesses andremovably retaining the same therein, and a screw threaded in saidcrosspiece for engaging a part carried by said up@ per frame to regulatethe positions ofsaid frames relatively to one another when the same arein the normal position.

3. In a dental articulator, the coinbination with 'a lower frame forsupporting a' cast of the lower jaw and having upright pieces or armsconnected at their upper ends by a It is cross-piece and provided withnotches or recesses, an upper frame for supporting a cast of the upperjaw and having pivot-pins bearing within said notches or recesses andextended beyond said upright pieces to provide finger-pieces formanipulating the upper cast, a spring fastened to said cross-piece andhaving its ends detachably bearing upon said upper frame to yieldinglypress said pivot-pins into said recesses and removably retain the sametherein, a screw threaded in said cross-piece and arranged to engage alug Aor stop carried by said upper frame to regulate the positions ofsaid upper and lower frames with respect to one another when the sameare in the normal position, and a setnut threaded upon said screw andprovided with finger-pieces for turning the same.

4. In a dental articulator, the combination with a lower frame,consisting of an integral piece or casting for supporting a cast of thelower jaw, and having recesses or notches Jformed therein, of an upperframe consisting of an integral piece or casting for supporting a castofthe upper jaw and provided with pivot-pins bearing within saidnotches, and meansyieldingly pressing said pins into Ysaid notches, saidpins being movable in said notches and adapted to move said framesslightly out of alinement against the power of said means.

5. In a dental articulator, `the combination with a lower frame forsupporting a cast of the lower j aw, and having recesses or notchesformed therein, of v"an upper frame Jfor supporting a cast of the upperjaw, and 'provided with pivot-pins bearing Within said notches andprojecting beyond the sides of the same, a spring yieldingly pressingsaid pins into said notches, said pins being adapted to be manipulatedwithin saidY notches against the power of said spring for relativelyadjusting said frames.

In witness whereof` I have hereunto subscribed my name in the presenceof two witnesses.

l FREDERICK W. STEPHAN.

Witnesses: A

Enwnv B. II. NEvnL, Jr., vMA1; RooHroRD.

